Comments on: Inviting Your Input and Comments http://dogtrax.edublogs.org If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn. ~ Charlie Parker Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:48:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Marilyn J. Hollman http://dogtrax.edublogs.org/inviting-your-input-and-comments/comment-page-1/#comment-7205 Marilyn J. Hollman Fri, 16 Dec 2011 20:52:44 +0000 http://dogtrax.edublogs.org/inviting-your-input-and-comments/#comment-7205 Hi, Kevin, it was nice to meet up with your writing again. Finding my pw and stuff on the NWP site was just too boggling, so I thought I'd respond to your teacher/curriculum post here. But, first I am glad to see the video game discussed; I don't play them, but if I still taught in a secondary school fulltime, I know I would have had to have learned. Do you or any of your colleagues use the term "digital humanities" that I see more and more frequently in other sources? Anyway -- I never taught in a setting where I had no role in designing my curriculum. Perhaps that's why when I begin to read about Common Standards, I was amazed to read that all these materials needed to be invented -- not by classroom teachers, but by outsiders or by State committees. It was perfectly clear to me when I read those CS what I could do. In fact, I would have needed little revision in what I used to do -- with the addition of much more digital stuff, new texts and renewed assessment approaches. CS come right from Jim Moffett's work. I attended a CS workshop with one of the two WP's I work with, and some thoughtful teacher consultants oriented us. I could see that the many initials and so on might be confusing. Actually implementing them? no. Perhaps I am arrogant. Or too old to remember a younger self. Teachers need to arrange meetings with their chairs and principals, and perhaps with school board members, to make the case for creating their own designs and revising current ones. Any costs from summer work would be quite small compared to the stuff pouring out of publishing houses, even as we write. That's my action plan. thank you for listing, mj hollman Hi, Kevin, it was nice to meet up with your writing again. Finding my pw and stuff on the NWP site was just too boggling, so I thought I’d respond to your teacher/curriculum post here. But, first I am glad to see the video game discussed; I don’t play them, but if I still taught in a secondary school fulltime, I know I would have had to have learned.
Do you or any of your colleagues use the term “digital humanities” that I see more and more frequently in other sources?
Anyway — I never taught in a setting where I had no role in designing my curriculum. Perhaps that’s why when I begin to read about Common Standards, I was amazed to read that all these materials needed to be invented — not by classroom teachers, but by outsiders or by State committees.
It was perfectly clear to me when I read those CS what I could do. In fact, I would have needed little revision in what I used to do — with the addition of much more digital stuff, new texts and renewed assessment approaches. CS come right from Jim Moffett’s work.
I attended a CS workshop with one of the two WP’s I work with, and some thoughtful teacher consultants oriented us. I could see that the many initials and so on might be confusing. Actually implementing them? no.
Perhaps I am arrogant. Or too old to remember a younger self.
Teachers need to arrange meetings with their chairs and principals, and perhaps with school board members, to make the case for creating their own designs and revising current ones. Any costs from summer work would be quite small compared to the stuff pouring out of publishing houses, even as we write.
That’s my action plan.

thank you for listing, mj hollman

]]> By: Susan http://dogtrax.edublogs.org/inviting-your-input-and-comments/comment-page-1/#comment-7184 Susan Thu, 08 Dec 2011 12:29:03 +0000 http://dogtrax.edublogs.org/inviting-your-input-and-comments/#comment-7184 Hi Kevin Fantastic blog - a great read! I wanted to get in touch and let you know about a really exciting, free-to-school literacy website called Wordia (www.wordia.com). I imagine you are really busy, but it's a really innovative new resource (using video & games-based learning) to support educators teaching subject vocabulary / literacy. I'd like to send you some information about our Literacy Ambassador Programme. (It's totally free - and I'm contacting you, as we wish to ensure that it's educator-led!). I hope that's of interest. Best, Susan Community Manager Wordia Hi Kevin

Fantastic blog – a great read!

I wanted to get in touch and let you know about a really exciting, free-to-school literacy website called Wordia (www.wordia.com).

I imagine you are really busy, but it’s a really innovative new resource (using video & games-based learning) to support educators teaching subject vocabulary / literacy.

I’d like to send you some information about our Literacy Ambassador Programme. (It’s totally free – and I’m contacting you, as we wish to ensure that it’s educator-led!).

I hope that’s of interest.

Best,

Susan
Community Manager
Wordia

]]> By: Jesse Langley http://dogtrax.edublogs.org/inviting-your-input-and-comments/comment-page-1/#comment-6984 Jesse Langley Tue, 30 Aug 2011 01:16:22 +0000 http://dogtrax.edublogs.org/inviting-your-input-and-comments/#comment-6984 Greetings Kevin, I recently came across your blog when I was cruising around some education sites. Your stuff really is spot-on. Each of your articles brings up something worth reading. I write for several blogs, and I'm currently looking to expand my reach by doing some guest posting. I would love to put together an article (or even a series) for your blog if you would be interested. I write mostly about education technology, advice for students, college search, and the ACT/SAT. I would be more than willing to write about a topic of your choosing as well. Anyway, let me know if you're interested and I can send you some article samples, etc. Looking forward to hearing back! Thanks! Jesse L. Greetings Kevin,

I recently came across your blog when I was cruising around some education sites. Your stuff really is spot-on. Each of your articles brings up something worth reading.

I write for several blogs, and I’m currently looking to expand my reach by doing some guest posting. I would love to put together an article (or even a series) for your blog if you would be interested. I write mostly about education technology, advice for students, college search, and the ACT/SAT. I would be more than willing to write about a topic of your choosing as well. Anyway, let me know if you’re interested and I can send you some article samples, etc. Looking forward to hearing back!

Thanks!

Jesse L.

]]> By: Teacher Challenge: All About Me is really All About You | Kevin's Meandering Mind http://dogtrax.edublogs.org/inviting-your-input-and-comments/comment-page-1/#comment-6080 Teacher Challenge: All About Me is really All About You | Kevin's Meandering Mind Tue, 18 Jan 2011 11:04:44 +0000 http://dogtrax.edublogs.org/inviting-your-input-and-comments/#comment-6080 [...] Inviting Your Input and Comments [...] [...] Inviting Your Input and Comments [...]

]]> By: Deb Norton http://dogtrax.edublogs.org/inviting-your-input-and-comments/comment-page-1/#comment-5711 Deb Norton Thu, 21 Oct 2010 09:47:58 +0000 http://dogtrax.edublogs.org/inviting-your-input-and-comments/#comment-5711 Hi Kevin, I had my students create Pivot movies and it was a great experience! Now I'd like to place the videos on our blog just as you have done. How did you convert the videos from Pivot to a different format? I tried to use my video converter, but it fails to do the job. I noticed you used Vimeo to host your videos, but this doesn't accept the Pivot format. Thank you for your help. I really appreciate it! Deb Hi Kevin,
I had my students create Pivot movies and it was a great experience! Now I’d like to place the videos on our blog just as you have done. How did you convert the videos from Pivot to a different format? I tried to use my video converter, but it fails to do the job. I noticed you used Vimeo to host your videos, but this doesn’t accept the Pivot format. Thank you for your help. I really appreciate it!
Deb

]]> By: Cynthia http://dogtrax.edublogs.org/inviting-your-input-and-comments/comment-page-1/#comment-5308 Cynthia Tue, 13 Jul 2010 02:23:01 +0000 http://dogtrax.edublogs.org/inviting-your-input-and-comments/#comment-5308 I just wanted to stop by and say thanks for always commenting when you can on a blog of mine. Also, I wanted to share that I will be reading that book you contributed to. I'm very excited to see what you have to say about teaching with new media. =) I just wanted to stop by and say thanks for always commenting when you can on a blog of mine. Also, I wanted to share that I will be reading that book you contributed to. I’m very excited to see what you have to say about teaching with new media. =)

]]> By: Murray http://dogtrax.edublogs.org/inviting-your-input-and-comments/comment-page-1/#comment-5145 Murray Mon, 14 Jun 2010 03:31:41 +0000 http://dogtrax.edublogs.org/inviting-your-input-and-comments/#comment-5145 Kevin, A group of friends and I just launched the International Movie Trailer Festival, which is sponsoring a moviemaking contest: "Preview Your Dreams." One section of the contest is for moviemakers who have created trailers for movies that haven't been made...yet. (The Coen brothers shot this kind of faux trailer as a way of gaining resources to make BLOOD SIMPLE.) I wonder: Have you done this kind of project with students? Do you know of people who have tried it? I produced a preproduction trailer for one of my projects--www.espaffair.com--and found the experience quite thrilling. In fact, it's what gave me the idea for the trailer festival. Best wishes, Murray Kevin,

A group of friends and I just launched the International Movie Trailer Festival, which is sponsoring a moviemaking contest: “Preview Your Dreams.” One section of the contest is for moviemakers who have created trailers for movies that haven’t been made…yet. (The Coen brothers shot this kind of faux trailer as a way of gaining resources to make BLOOD SIMPLE.)

I wonder: Have you done this kind of project with students? Do you know of people who have tried it?

I produced a preproduction trailer for one of my projects–www.espaffair.com–and found the experience quite thrilling. In fact, it’s what gave me the idea for the trailer festival.

Best wishes,

Murray

]]> By: [Blocked by CFC] Buzz http://dogtrax.edublogs.org/inviting-your-input-and-comments/comment-page-1/#comment-3865 [Blocked by CFC] Buzz Wed, 09 Sep 2009 20:06:04 +0000 http://dogtrax.edublogs.org/inviting-your-input-and-comments/#comment-3865 Kevin! I'm so glad you came by and commented on my Kindle 2 article! Then, I was pleasantly surprised that we both share similar passions - for technology integration into the curriculum AND music! I'm a singer/songwriter/ (guitar - drums) kinda guy. Anyway, so great to see your piece on the Prez's speech in Wordle! Well, about the Kindle 2, I very much agree with your assessment of it being a closed environment that Amazon set up which may indeed hurt it's position in the long term. Wouldn't it be cool, though, if some of the large text book publishers partnered with Amazon and licensed their content to school districts willing to go digital? That's kinda what I was hinting at when I mentioned my point about publishing issues... I imagine a system where schools would pay for a license key which would provide access to specific, district adopted content --and Amazon (or a company like it) could simply act as the distributor/middle man. I mean, if I were a big text book publisher, I'd be all over this -- it would cut down on physical publishing costs for the publishing houses, which would improve their own bottom line. Ultimately, it would serve as "another" distribution method and open other agreements down the line. Also, there are ways to get free (public domain classics) onto the Kindle... In other words, Amazon COULD, when the time was right, OPEN their closed environment. The fact that their pipeline is a closed system (with the potential to open it and really do what it wants to) may be attractive to text book publishers worried about a "wild west" digital rights mentality with no sheriff in town... What do you think? Anyway, so great to meet you in cyberspace. Buzz Garwood Kevin! I’m so glad you came by and commented on my Kindle 2 article! Then, I was pleasantly surprised that we both share similar passions – for technology integration into the curriculum AND music! I’m a singer/songwriter/ (guitar – drums) kinda guy. Anyway, so great to see your piece on the Prez’s speech in Wordle!

Well, about the Kindle 2, I very much agree with your assessment of it being a closed environment that Amazon set up which may indeed hurt it’s position in the long term. Wouldn’t it be cool, though, if some of the large text book publishers partnered with Amazon and licensed their content to school districts willing to go digital? That’s kinda what I was hinting at when I mentioned my point about publishing issues… I imagine a system where schools would pay for a license key which would provide access to specific, district adopted content –and Amazon (or a company like it) could simply act as the distributor/middle man. I mean, if I were a big text book publisher, I’d be all over this — it would cut down on physical publishing costs for the publishing houses, which would improve their own bottom line. Ultimately, it would serve as “another” distribution method and open other agreements down the line.

Also, there are ways to get free (public domain classics) onto the Kindle… In other words, Amazon COULD, when the time was right, OPEN their closed environment. The fact that their pipeline is a closed system (with the potential to open it and really do what it wants to) may be attractive to text book publishers worried about a “wild west” digital rights mentality with no sheriff in town… What do you think?

Anyway, so great to meet you in cyberspace.

Buzz Garwood

]]> By: Joel Josephson http://dogtrax.edublogs.org/inviting-your-input-and-comments/comment-page-1/#comment-3803 Joel Josephson Wed, 29 Jul 2009 13:18:59 +0000 http://dogtrax.edublogs.org/inviting-your-input-and-comments/#comment-3803 Hi Kevin I have been refered to you by Mathew Needleman on Classroom 2.0. I am involved in a European Union funded education project looking at how to use digital comics in schools http://www.educomics.org I am looking for websites and forums that focus on the use of digital comics in education, any suggestions would be very welcome. I have a good list of websites that have comic tools, this is mainly about using the comics within the school. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks. Joel Hi Kevin

I have been refered to you by Mathew Needleman on Classroom 2.0.

I am involved in a European Union funded education project looking at how to use digital comics in schools http://www.educomics.org

I am looking for websites and forums that focus on the use of digital comics in education, any suggestions would be very welcome.

I have a good list of websites that have comic tools, this is mainly about using the comics within the school.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

Joel

]]> By: Amy VZ http://dogtrax.edublogs.org/inviting-your-input-and-comments/comment-page-1/#comment-3769 Amy VZ Mon, 13 Jul 2009 18:21:47 +0000 http://dogtrax.edublogs.org/inviting-your-input-and-comments/#comment-3769 Very enjoyable. I definitely agree you need to give the students time to play. Come fall, I hope to give it a try. Thanks! Very enjoyable. I definitely agree you need to give the students time to play. Come fall, I hope to give it a try. Thanks!

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